A Critical Review into the Digital Transformation of Land Title Management: The Case of Mining in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The mining sector is worth trillions globally and the cornerstone of many developing nations wealth. National and corporate interests sit at the heart of negotiating fair value when pursuing profit while at the same time attempting to balance equality and sustainability of the sector. While the mining sector is of significant value to the economy, there are challenges in managing land administration. This research aims to provide a strategic template for the Zimbabwean government to apply the technological benefits of digital transformation to bring transparency and accountability for stakeholders, including the people and partners of Zimbabwe. The government would respond to implement technological advances such as Blockchain, Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The fundamental importance of land and its management lies at the core of this study as strategic research for Zimbabwe. Therefore, this research investigates how digital transformation can support mining land title management to create transparency and accountability. From a myriad of available options, this research proposes a technological solution based on Blockchain’s Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) to address the lack of Transparency and Accountability in mining land title management.